There are known storage containers for the bulk storage of frangible sheet material, such as specimen slides. Known containers often have opposed pairs of slots separated by a fixed distance for receiving the slides, and such storage containers have proven satisfactory for storing slides. However, the slides are often subjected to various processes, for example, dipping in liquids and preprocess drying in a centrifuge, but the known storage containers are not suitable for use in such processing. Therefore, the slides must be removed from the storage containers and transferred to other racks that can be used with the preprocessing machines.
In other situations, the slides must be shipped to another location. Known bulk storage containers are not able to protect the slides from the rigors of commercial shipping and transportation that are widely used to ship other items. Therefore, the slides must be removed from the bulk storage container and repackaged for shipment. Such special handling is not cost effective in most commercial environments. Thus, the repeated handling of each individual slide required by known bulk storage containers adds substantial cost to processes to which the slide is subjected.
Consequently, there is a need for a bulk storage container that overcomes the disadvantages of known slide storage containers discussed above.